Cornwall- The Lizard and Marconi Centre

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12th Dec 2001 saw the one hundredth anniversary of the first transatlantic radio transmission made by a then young Italian named Marconi. Now rightly known as the father of wireless telegraphy. Within a few years commercial radio traffic had began, so that by 1908 a full transatlantic service was operating. Sent shortly after midday as the letter S in Morse code received on Signal Hill, St Johns, Newfoundland Marconi showed once and for all that radio waves would follow the curvature of the Earth. Nowadays nearby Satellite Earth Station Goonhilly sends vast amounts of data per second. Marconi had chosen Poldhu for two reason-, its unobstructed view across the Atlantic, and its remoteness away from the prying eyes of his competitors. Sadly the original buildings were demolished in 1937.

Marconi Centre, Poldhu Situated up a poorly signed road on the left hand side of Poldhu Cove Beach is the Marconi Centre, opened on the 12th December 2001 This striking building part funded by the National Trust and the Marconi Company contains a wealth of displays and information as well as being the home (and run by) of Poldhu Amateur Radio Club, whose enthusiastic members will be pleased to show you around. The remains of Marconi Transmitting Station can be seen as a concrete floor a few metres south of the new Centre.

Why not Order your King Harry's Cornwall Tourist brochure here?

Poldhu Cove is a popular family beach in Summer, backed by sand dunes and with a large car park nearby. When a south westerly blows also popular with surfers. The cliffs are a blaze with spring flowers, particularly bluebell and thrift in late April/ early May. Looking back across the beach from the lane leading to the former Poldhu Hotel provides one with possibly the most striking photograph opportunity of any Cornwall Beach when the flowers are at their peak and the tide is in.

Walking west along the Cornish Coast path one is rewarded with good views into Church Cove. church-cove
Church Cove

The Lizard | Marconi | Helford River | Penzance